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Southland Times, Issue 1342, 2 December 1870, Page 2

Our readers will observe that Mr White's concert comes off on the 7th inst., instead of the 2nd, as at first advertised. An entertainment, comprising soiree, concert, and bail, is announced for Boxing Night, at the L-lheatre Royal. The affair is being got up under the joint ¥uspices~of ~the different Oddfellows' Lodges. A | A discussion lately took place in the Council | of the Otago Acclimatisation Society as to the suitability of the various rivers in the province for salmon, resulting in the opinion being unanimously expressed that the Southland rivers were best adapted for the purpose. Provision has been made for the repeal of the Southland Educational Ordinance, in lieu of which the educational' reserves are to be administered under the Otago Ordinance ; also, a provision for substituting the Otago Roads Ordinance for that hitherto in operation throughout Southland. Both measures had been read a second time, and have in all probability been .passed by the Council before this. '„ A Bill to amend the Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance, 1865, Amendment Ordinance, has been introduced into the Council. Amongst other provisions, it enables the Superintendent to fix a day for the election of mayor and councillors in newly-created municipalities, instead of. the statutory periods of 21st July and Ist August respectively, as at present. On the 24th ult., the Bill wa3 read a second time and passed throu gh committee. A Timaru contemporary says : — The wool season for 1870 may now be said to have fairly commenced; close upon 300 bales, chiefly from the j Levels and Pareora stations, and Mr Elworthy's, j having arrived in town for shipment. The rlip this season is expected to be about the same as I last year — some 12,000 bales. We believe that most of it this season will be sent coastwise to fill J up ships in Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, and that none will be shipped direct for England. j The following instructions have been issued to tl.ii T mi *■ Tl J - *.■>>-»■• metal along one side of the surveyed road lines, so as to leave as much space as possible open for summer use. (2.) AU obstructions to be removed, and every facility given to the pnblic to get off the formed portion of the old roads in summer. (3.) All heaps of stone to be laid on one side of the road, instead of, as at. present, being placed in alternate heaps on either side. The settlers in the Waiau and Mararoa districts will be glad to learn that "arrangements have been made to give them a weekly instead of a fortnightly mail service. This has been accomplished by substituting for the single fortnightly mail between Riverton and Mararoa two separate services for the different divisions of the large district between those points, the one for the lower portion running from Riverton as far as Wairaki, and that for Centre Hill and Mararoa from Lowther, and each making the trip weekly. '. At the last weekly meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, a letter was read, stating that the subscribers to the Invercargill Society had affirmed the desirability of affiliating upon equitable terms with the Dunedin Society. It was resolved that a committee, consisting of Messrs Carrick, Eccles, Turton, and Murison, should confer with Messrs Wood and Basstian of the Invercargill Society, now in Dunedin, upon the subject, and report the result of their-inter-view to the next meeting. • Respecting what is known as the Mataura Island, we have the following explanation from the Government : — During the separate existence of the late province it was disputed territory, and a certain gentleman was alllowed to occupy it by the authority jof the Waste Lands Board. He had retained posses&ion since, and considered that he was still entitled to do so. The matter had been brought before the Waste Lands Board, who had instituted an enquiry, and would take measures for removing this person from occupation. For a few days past the Invercargill Jetty has presented a much more lively appearance than it has done for a long time back. Vessels on the outer tier have been moored two deep, and one or two of the inside wings have had crafts swinging to them. The jetty accommodation is far from being fully occupied, still, taken in conjunction with the business done afc the Bluff, the shipping trade will bear comparison with some of the less tainted days which preceded Southland's decline. In landward traffic the press continues unabated, bo that there must be business doing, although the talk about stagnation remains unchanged It is to be hoped (says the Daily Times) that the Executive will not allow the matter of the Maori half-castes and the Industrial School to remain as it is at present. We understand that; these youths — two of them at least are not chil-' dren— are already exercising an evil influence over their younger associates ; a fact which those who have had an opportunity of inspecting the! criminals will not be 1 blow to believe. We do not ; see why they should not be removed at once from the Industrial : School, as the Superintendent has power to remove them. It would be, worth while to ascertain whether their case could; not be again dealt with in the Court, on a charge' . of indecent assault. \ Gardens afc the West Coast : are " givingrun- j doubted evidence of the fertility of the soil. "Thefruiterers' and greengrocers' shops in Hokitika i

Fully prove the fact. New potatoes are hawkei ! about, and early vegetables, as well as fruits, are abundant. Cucumbers are exhibited which measure ten inches in length, with proportionate girth. The display of strawberries, of Hokitika ■ growth, is extraordinarily good, many of the . berries weighing fully an ounce, and all being perfectly ripe, and of excellent flavor. Strawberries and cream can be got in Hokitika — the fruit and the cream of local production. Few of those who were present at the settlement of this plaoar-a few years ago (says the Westland, Independent), would have expected such an announcement at this" date. The continuation of a reconnaissance survey of the line from the northern border of the late province of Southland to Kingston, was brought forward by Mr Shepherd as a motion in the Provincial Council ; and further, that an address be presented to the Superintendent, respectfully requesting that he will cause the land required | 1 for the formation of such a line to be reserved for the purpose. In stating the motion, he remarked that a few days ago he was accused of interfering in matters which did not concern him, but he explained that he represented the district referred to in the motion, and also that which was previously before the House. The Southland Grovernment did have a line surveyed from Southland to the borders of Otago, but no survey had been made within the province of Otago. There' was still a distance of several miles to be surveyed. Mr Wilson seconded the motion, which was carried. Hot sultry weather has prevailed for the last week, with an atmosphere surcharged with electric fluid. Rain has fallen at intervals sumcieat to keep the blade well moistened, without entailing serious inconvenience on out-door pursuits. The only exception was a heavy down-pour which toot place at mid-day on Wednesday. t/ The rain, while it lasted, was very heavy," in fact it came . doira in flakes, accompanied by a few rumbling peals of thunder, which seemed to make S circle from south-east ',to ; north. Both the rain and thunder were of short duration, and as they do not appear to have purified the air, it is not j improbable that before long wa may experience their recurrence. Apprehensions were entertained that the feebler fruit buds would be ; washed off the branches, but from what we can learn, the damage in that respect ia very trifling. Better growing weather than the present could ■ hardly be desired. '...'■ At theEesident Magistrate's Court, Campbell - town, on the 30th ult., before H. M'Culloch, Esq , Richard M'G-uire was charged with committing an assault oi James M'Cormick on the 17 th ult., by forcibly expelling him from a hole he was sinking on the beach. Plaintiff and defendant are miners working beach and terrace claims between the Bluff and- New River Heads. The alleged assault arose out of a disputed terrace claim. Plaintiff's case vas that the ground from which defendant had forcibly expelled him was . on the beach, and outside of the disputed ground, and therefore had no connection with the claim in dispute, which would te settled by the Gbldfields' Warden. Defendant stated that at the time he was under the impression that pontiff was working within their claim ; but since then he had removed some sandhills, aad made a more correct survey of the _ boundary-line x j.nd he believ.ed_that. Jus -farmer.. " opinion wa3 wrong. Plaintiff had on several ■occasions given annoyance, and he (defendant) believed that he endeavored to provoke the as. sault. His "Worship said lie would adjourn the case for a week, as the matter bad to be brought before the Warden's Court. A few days ago we reprinted rqm a Duaedin contemporary certain particulars respecting the movements of two men named Campbell and Baxter, who had been prospecting the beaches between Waikava and Catlin's River. A letter subsequently written by Campbell has been placed at our disposal, from which we make the following extracts : — We have set in to work a terrace bank about 12 miles distant from Waikawa on the Catlin's River line. The ground did not yield the best prospect we obtained during our travels, but it is the best of the accessible places we could set in at. As it is, we can only take our traps round in a whaleboat, which we will require to return to . Waikava, and afterwards make back again through the bush; Now this game bush is something to talk about. Neither Waikivi nor Kaitangata bushes are a patch on it. The prospect is not an extraordinary one, still it is very good, and unless it gets poorer as we go into the ground, we shall make 25s or 30s a-day easily. We are fully equipped with quicksilver, smaU retorts, plush for boxes— in fact, everything that will make success if success is to be made. (Jetting tucket round will be .the -serious drawback. However, I have no fear of starving. We can catch plenty.of fish on the rocks, and as for kakas, pigeons, woodhens, and I believe, pigs, although I am not yet certain — they, are to be had likewise. The diggers are doing very well. Had I known about it, I would not have re- . tnained so long fossicking at Beniigo Ghilly quartz reefs.